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Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Italian Job

Today I have a big distraction from work......a new accordion. I've traded in the first accordion I owned, so off goes my little green Weltmeister on a new journey and I've brought home a lovely 2nd hand Italian accordion with loads more buttons, keys and couplers. I dont think I'll ever need to upgrade again!Allodis has to be one my all time favourite shops. It's jam-packed with accordions and a workshop where Emilio has years of repairs waiting. There are some really ornate accordions on offer. Mine isn't at all but you can't have everything, it sounds lovely which has to be more important than the bling! The shop feels like a hidden secret, but it's not at all, it's so busy and trying out an accordion in front of inevitably better players is quite daunting.

Playing my new accordion back in the studio where I'm familiar with the acoustic I can tell the difference better, it has a lovely resonant woody sound. I'm sure I'll practise more now I have this one. It's a very difficult instrument, I took it up on a random hunch a few years ago and I have to say it's one of the best decisions I ever made.

3 comments:

Hi Artemis, Me playing on my own is not really a spectator sport yet! I'll invite you if our quartet 'Accidental Accordionists" play somewhere. In the accordion orchestra we've started working on West Side Story amongst others, you could catch our Xmas concert.... Sorry to mention Xmas already when we're finally enjoying some proper summer.

Awww beautiful - and well done Madeleine! I'm a pianist so I know the joys of playing an instrument first hand. The accordion is particularly lovely as the chords are all there for you - plus it's so portable too! Something I love about a musical instrument. I have an old battered one - which just about plays - but wouldn't be suitable for a pro like yourself. However, it looks lovely on the floor!